The 7 Best Yoga Poses for Constipation (Do These for Quick Relief)

No one likes to talk about it, but being constipated can feel really uncomfortable.

Your belly feels strained, bloated, full, and distended. And when you actually do go to the bathroom, you might feel like you’re never completely able to clear your bowels.

Medically speaking, constipation is classified as passing fewer than three stools per week, having hard stools, experiencing difficulty with bowel movements, or feeling like you aren’t completely evacuating your bowels.

And when we’re feeling “backed up,” all too often we turn to pills and over-the-counter remedies. The truth is, they usually work pretty well as a quick fix.

But unless you treat the problem at its source, these treatments just cover up the underlying problem without fixing it.

But did you know that there are exercises to relieve constipation fast?

Yoga Poses for Constipation

While any type of exercise will help you with regular bowel movements and also with improving digestive health, yoga stands out as one of the best types of exercise for treating constipation.

That’s right – besides being great for boosting flexibility, circulatory health, and muscle tone, yoga is a great way to keep your digestive tract moving and prevent constipation.

Yoga relieves constipation by working in two different ways.

First, it helps you reduce stress. This is important because stress is a major contributor to constipation and can cause things to get blocked up fast if you’re not careful (1).

You might have heard of the “fight-or-flight response” – it’s a physiological reaction designed to protect us in dangerous situations.

When you detect an attack or any kind of threat to survival, your sympathetic nervous system is activated, which prepares you to fight or flee quickly.

This response originated back in the days when our ancestors were in danger of being eaten by tigers and other wild animals. But, while most of us probably won’t have to face hungry tigers any time soon, our fight-or-flight response still gets activated during stressful situations (2).

It also sets off a cascade of hormone secretions, which affects your body in many different ways, including by decreasing the peristalsis (movement) of the bowels.

Think of your gut as a highway. For things to work efficiently, the road needs to be clear so that cars can move along. When you have chronic stress, everything gets slowed down and eventually traffic starts to pile up until nothing is able to move at all.

And second, many yoga poses also work by increasing blood flow, massaging the digestive tract, and pushing things along through the system so that your body is able to form healthy bowel movements and prevent constipation.

The twisting motions in many yoga are especially helpful for promoting elimination, plus relieving tension and support detoxification.

Incorporate these yoga poses for bowel movement stimulation into your daily routine and you can say goodbye to the straining and bloat for good!

7 Yoga Positions for Constipation

1. Downward Facing Dog

This position is the perfect yoga pose for constipation because it stretches your entire body and releases tension. This can also help relieve any buildup in the digestive tract, getting things moving and putting an end to constipation.

To get into this position:

Start all fours on the floor.

Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs, pushing down through your palms.

3. Wind Relieving Pose

If you’re practicing yoga for constipation and gas, this pose should be a staple in your routine.

The name of this pose is fitting, as this position is ideal for deflating bloat and reducing gas. It also helps stimulate the colon, small intestine, and stomach, which means it will help with overall digestion.

Lie flat on your back with both legs stretched out straight in front of you.

Slowly bring the right knee up into your chest and hold with both arms for 20 breaths.

6. Standing Forward Bend

Practicing this pose can help relieve stress and calm your nerves, which means improving the function of the digestive tract. Plus, it compresses the abdomen to optimize digestion and prevent constipation.

I recommend making a little time each day to practice a few yoga poses. This can get your day off to a great start and prevent stress from building up over time.

Health-Boosting Bonus

Plus, it gives you all the amazing health benefits of yoga even if you’re pressed for time.

Best of all, no fancy equipment is required if you’re looking to start practicing yoga. All you need is a yoga mat, but even that is optional for many poses.

I personally start each morning with my quick and simple five minute yoga routine. This helps me feel limber, flexible, and energized and keeps my mind totally and focused.

If you’re hoping to start yoga to alleviate constipation or take advantage of its many other health benefits, pick a few of your favorite poses and set aside a few minutes at the beginning or the end of the day. Your digestive system will thank you.

Feeling Bloated and Sluggish?

You can gently “cleanse” your body to help it function better – and my FREE 1-Day Detox Plan is a great way to help your body naturally detoxify.

You’ll eat delicious cleansing meals that will help ban bloat, cut sugar cravings, and leave you feeling energized in just 24 hours.